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This page is by member Colin Allbright.

For quite sometime now I have been collecting early N gauge which includes Highfield Models. Peter Middelton was a pioneer and developed paper/card kit rolling stock sides which when assembled ran on Peco and other commercially available chassis.

I see no point in hanging onto the artwork just for myself but to share with others, call it giving back into the hobby after all these years of service to N (I started in 1980 making 2mm buffers!).

Tartan Arrow 20ft and 30ft Containers

These very early non-standard containers dating from 1966 were built by Duramin who specialised in lorry bodies before moving into container manufacturing. Pictures for these early containers are very rare and it has taken several years of research to finally piece together what they looked like. The end doors only have two locking bars instead of the normal four.

All that remains is for Graham Farish to produce the LMS 50’ Full Brake in the Tartan Arrow livery and a complete rake can be built. (they have already produced the BR CCT in that livery). The normal consist was two full brakes, six or seven CCT vans and five freightliner flats with a mixture of Tartan Arrow containers running between Glasgow and London, five times a week.

Click here to open the Tartan Arrow Containers PDF, then right-click and choose “Save As”.

Rootes and Chrysler 60ft Containers

I remember these containers from when I grew up in Coventry carrying components back and forth between the Ryton and Linwood factories. I also was lucky to see a set of the CKD kits in wooden packing cases (3 per flat) with H Hunter cars for Iran. I need to research that one more before modelling the cases. Some of these containers survived on the old Lucas Girling site where there used to be sidings opposite Tyseley Loco Depot until 2010 when they were finally scrapped.

Click here to open the Rootes Container PDF, then right-click and choose “Save As”. Click here to open the Chrysler Container PDF, then right-click and choose “Save As”.

Cunard 20ft Container

My first project is a Cunard 20ft container which was steam hauled before diesels! Cunard were one of the very first companies to become involved with shipping freight in containers. The A4 sheet allows for 8 containers to be assembled. The chassis is a standard 15ft Peco moulding just as Peter used some 50 years ago!

Click here to open the Cunard Container PDF, then right-click and choose “Save As”.

Winnic 30ft Container

An early container livery from the late 1960’s. There are eight different numbered sets of sides on the sheet. I first came across this livery when researching Freightliner many years ago. In the book Freightliner by M.J.Collins (OPC) page 65 they feature behind a rake of Ford Containers at Harwich, August 1968. I have subsequently found them at Birmingham Lawley street and Fleischmann produced this livery on a batch of their 1:160 container a few years ago.

Click here to open the Winnic Container PDF, then right-click and choose “Save As”.

Coal Wagons

I first saw O Gauge lithograph printed paper sides for wagons as a young lad. They were produced by a Leeds Company Milbro from the 1920s onwards.

I find it interesting to look at what if scenarios when examining early N gauge developments. Highfield’s development of colour printed sides was short lived because PECO and Farish very quickly introduced plastic bodied models. What if Highfield, Merco, ERG and Milbro had invested further in the market before plastic arrived? This inspired me to develop a set of four grouping livered wagon sides based on the Milbro designs but with new artwork to compliment my collection of Highfield models. I appreciate the artwork will not appeal to all but there is still a small group within the Society that model with paper/card rolling stock.

There are ten wagon numbers for each of the four liveries: LMS, GWR, SR and NE. The sides are designed to work with the Highfield range of sides following the same method of construction – a cardboard body mounted on a PECO wagon chassis.

Click here to open the LMS/GWR Coal Wagon PDF, then right-click and choose “Save As”.Click here to open the LNER/SR Coal Wagon PDF, then right-click and choose “Save As”.

Top Tips For Download Kits

I have been experimenting with good white print paper and also self-adhesive matt photo paper. The latter seems to generate a better image of the sides suiting containers in general.

I use Windsor & Newton Poster and Water Varnish to seal the surface. This is a thixotropic liquid which requires the brushes to be cleaned afterwards using Meths not water. It works better on good quality inkjet paper but less so on matt photo paper. The advantage when applied to ink jet printed sheets is that it does not react and cause the colours to run. You can then apply an Acrylic Varnish to finish the surface if required for extra protection.